The present invention relates generally to the use of wooden ties, steel plates and steel spikes in building and/or repairing of railroads and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for pre-plating wooden railroad ties for subsequent receipt of railroad rails in the initial construction and/or the repair of railroad lines.
Railroad lines are comprised of spaced cross ties with superimposed plates, which carry two top spaced rails. The space of the rails determines the gauge of the railroad line. The ties traditionally rest upon ballast, which has been compacted and graded (contoured) to define the path of the railroad line, including axial slope as appropriate and transverse banking to accommodate turning in respect to a change in direction of the rails and ties.
While concrete ties are sometimes used, wooden ties, usually treated with a chemical such as creosote, have historically been used. The present invention is concerned with wooden railroad ties.
Each wooden railroad tie receives two steel railroad plates on the top of the tie. Each plate is secured in position by steel spikes driven into the associated wooden railroad tie through apertures in the plate. Ultimately, at least one field spike and one gauge spike is driven through apertures in the associated plate into the wooden tie until the head of the spike is either contiguous with the top surface of the associated plate or is above the associated plate a distance sufficient to accommodate placement of one side of the lower flange of a rail beneath the head of that spike. This creates a fixed and permanent relationship between the plate and the wooden railroad tie. At the time of rail installation, other spikes are driven through the remaining apertures in each plate. Two apertures exist in each of two central parallel flanges or ridges of each plate and one aperture in each of two plate regions spaced from the flanges. The flanges of each plate are parallel to the direction of the railroad line and perpendicular to the axis of the associated tie. All of the spikes driven through apertures in the flanges of the associated plate into the wooden tie ultimately become contiguous with the top surface of one or the other of two oppositely-directed base, lower or bottom flanges of a railroad rail to hold the rail in a secure position on the plate between the flanges. The rail is thus securely positioned between and parallel to the plate flanges.
In earlier times, it was commonplace to assemble plates, ties, spikes and rails at the site of a railroad line being constructed or repaired. This approach is sometimes still used. Precision in correctly locating each plate on top of the associated tie presented significant problems in the field. Accuracy in field placement of the plates on the ties has been particularly difficult when the plates were worn between the flanges due to prior use.
In brief summary, the present invention overcomes or substantially alleviates problems associated with the construction and repair of railroad lines and particularly in respect to pre-plating wooden railroad ties. Temporary and permanent placement of two plates (either new or used) on each wooden tie is exceptionally accurate, resulting in few, if any, rejects. Accordingly, subsequent assembly of railroad rails on a series of such pre-plated ties produces corresponding accuracy in the resulting railroad line. Unique jigs provide for the temporary and accurate placement of the plates on the ties, while spikes provide for the permanent and accurate placement of the plates on the ties. Novel methods and apparatus are provided by the present invention for so pre-plating railroad ties. Mass production of pre-plated railroad ties is preferred, although individual pre-plating of railroad ties is within the scope of the present invention. The methodology may comprise placing two plates on top of each of a succession of wooden ties, positioning one of the two plates on each tie with a distance or spacer template, temporarily clamping the two plates accurately to the tie using a jig, starting a field spike and a gauge spike (usually with one or more sledge hammers) into each wooden tie through selected apertures in each plate, and further driving the started spikes into the associated tie (usually using a jackhammer). Typically, the field spike is located outside the field flange of the plate and is driven until the head of the spike is contiguous with the plate. Typically, the gauge spike is displaced through an aperture in the gauge flange of the plate until the head thereof is about 1xc2xd inches above the plate. This gauge spike ultimately is driven downward farther to help hold a rail in position when the rail is superimposed upon the plate between the flanges thereof.
A series of work stations may be employed in carrying out the pre-plating assembly process. One or more of the work stations may use conveyor systems to displace ties as they are pre-plated and to return removed jigs for re-use. Normally, although not necessarily, the spikes are started with one or more sledge hammers, while the driving of spikes is preferable by use of a power tool, such as a jack hammer.
When the pre-plating of the ties is completed, they may be stored for subsequent use or shipped for more immediate use.
For purposes of efficiency and cost effectiveness, a mass production or continuous process of pre-plating ties sequentially is preferred, which requires inventories of ties, plates, spikes and jigs, all made available at an ingress work location. The jigs are recycled, while the ties, plates and spike are transformed into completed pre-plated ties. Testing templates or spacers may be used to initially locate the plates on the ties before spikes are started and to check the permanent locations of the plates of completed pre-plated ties for accuracy or compliance with applicable tolerances. The preferred reference is to the inside surface of the field flange of each plate. One jig is used to so locate both plates in respect to a given wooden railroad tie.
The preferred jig, for accurately locating plates on railroad ties being pre-plated, comprises a frame which seats around side surfaces of a railroad tie, at least one plate position-establishing cross bar or stop extending between frame members for contiguous engagement with an inside surface of a flange of a railroad plate placed on top of the tie, and at least one displaceable clamping member for engagement with an adjacent edge of plate to compression place the plate in a desired fixed position upon the tie prior to an aperture in the plate receiving a railroad spike. At least one clamping member may be actuated in any desired way, e.g., using a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder or a mechanical crank of the jig, to engage the field edge of the adjacent plate, for example, insuring that a cross bar or stop of the jig bears against the inside surface of the adjacent field flange of the plate.
With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to overcome or substantially alleviate problems associated with the construction and/or repair of railroad lines and particularly in respect to pre-plating wooden railroad ties.
Another important object is the temporary and permanent placement of the plates (either new or used) on a wooden tie with exceptional accuracy, resulting in few, if any, rejects, and producing corresponding accuracy within the resulting railroad lines.
A further valuable object is the provision of unique jigs which provide for the temporary and accurate placement of plates on the wooden railroad ties, while spikes, used in conjunction with each jig, provide for the permanent and accurate placement of the plates on the ties.
It is another dominant object of the present invention to provide novel methods and apparatus for pre-plating wooden railroad ties.
It is an additional significant object to provide mass production methods and apparatus for pre-plated wooden railroad ties.
Another valuable object is the provision of methodology which comprises placing two plates on top of each of a succession of wooden railroad ties, temporarily positioning of each of the two plates accurately on each tie using a jig, starting a field spike and a gauge spike into each wooden tie through selected apertures in each plate, and further driving the started spikes into the associated tie.
A further important object is the provision for locating a field spike outside the field flange of an associated plate and driving it until the head of the spike is contiguous with the plate and locating a gauge spike through an aperture into the gauge flange of the plate and driving it until the head thereof is a pre-determined distance above the plate so that the gauges spike can ultimately be driven downward farther to help hold a rail in position when the rail is superimposed upon the plate between the flanges thereof.
A further primary object is the provision of a series of work stations for carrying out a pre-plating assembly process for wooden railroad ties.
It is another significant object of the present invention to provide one or more work stations which may use conveyors to displace wooden railroad ties as they are pre-plated and to return removed jigs for re-use.
Another object of value is the provision of mass production or continuous processes of pre-plating wooden railroad ties sequentially, which require inventories of ties, plates, spikes and jigs all made available at an ingress work location.
It is a further object of significance to provide pre-plating jigs for wooden railroad ties which are reusable.
It is a further object of dominance to provide testing templates or spacers used to initially locate the plates on wooden railroad ties before spikes are started and to check the permanent locations of the plates of completed pre-plated wooden railroad ties for accuracy or compliance with applicable tolerances.
An additional object of importance is the provision of pre-plating jigs for accurately locating plates on wooden railroad ties being pre-plated.
It is another valuable object to provide a pre-plating jig for a wooden railroad tie which comprises a frame which seats around side surfaces of a wooden railroad tie, at least one plate position-establishing cross bar or stop extending between frame members for contiguous engagement with an inside surface of a flange of a railroad plate placed on top of the tie, and at least one displaceable clamping member for engagement with an adjacent edge of the plate to compressively place the plate in a desired fixed position upon the tie prior to an aperture in the plate receiving a railroad spike.
It is another object of importance to provide a pre-plating jig for a wooden railroad tie comprising at least one clamping member which is actuated in any desired way, e.g., using a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder or a mechanical crank of the jig, to engage the field edge of the adjacent plate causing a cross bar or stop of the jig to bear against the inside surface of the adjacent field flange of the adjacent plate.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description taken with reference to the accompanying drawings.